Film-Carrying System and a Film-Carrying Device Used Therein

ABSTRACT

A film-carrying system and a film-carrying device used therein are provided. The film-carrying system includes a support base, a film-carrying device and a film. The film-carrying device includes a support connection part, an elastic part, and a film connection part. The support connection part is coupled to the support base while the film connection part is coupled to the film. The elastic part has a free end and a fixed end; the free end connects to the film connection part, and the fixed end connects to the support connection part. The elastic deformation of the elastic part provides the film connection part with a degree of freedom in linear displacement, and the film connection part also has a degree of freedom in angular displacement corresponding to the support connection part.

This is a divisional application of patent application Ser. No.11/859,981 filed on Sep. 24, 2007, now allowed. The prior applicationSer. No. 11/859,981 claims the benefit of Taiwan Patent Application No.095149173 filed on Dec. 27, 2006, the disclosures of which areincorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a film-carrying system and afilm-carrying device used therein; particularly, the present inventionrelates to a film-carrying system for a backlight module and afilm-carrying device used therein.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Backlight modules are widely used in liquid crystal display (LCD)panels, buttons of cellular phones, advertising billboards, and anyother devices that require a planar light source. In the recent yearsespecially, the markets for flat panel displays are rapidly expanding.As a result, the need for LCD panels in the markets is largely increasedat the same time. Furthermore, the functional and structural designs ofthe backlight modules used in the LCD panels have been diversified, inorder to accommodate the emerging market demands for the LCD panels.

FIG. 1 shows a conventional design of a backlight module. As shown inFIG. 1, the backlight module usually includes a light source 70, areflector plate 90, a frame 10, a light guide panel 20, and an opticalfilm 50. The light source 70 is disposed above the reflector plate 90,for providing light to the backlight module. The light guide panel 20and the optical film 50 are disposed above the light source 70, fordirecting the behaviors of the outputting light from the light source70, such as the brightness, the direction, and the uniformity of theoutputting light. In order to position the light source 70, the lightguide panel 20, and the optical film 50 according to their relativepositions, the light guide panel 20 and the optical film 50 is disposedon top of the frame 10, and the light source 70 is disposed with theframe 10 together.

As shown in FIG. 1, since the optical film 50 is usually thin in thethickness while the cross-sectional surface strength is not strongenough for providing sufficient surface tension, the optical film 50 isdisposed right on top of the light guide panel 20, in order to stay flatinside the backlight module. However, some of the backlight modules usedtoday are designed without the light guide panel 20 disposing inside.Therefore, it may be necessary for this type of backlight module to havea flat, light-transmittable, and board-like structure disposed insidefor supporting the optical film. However, this kind of design willusually increase the manufacturing cost. Furthermore, even though theboard-like structure is light-transmittable, it can not always provide a100% transmittance rate, and which will ultimately affect the overallluminance intensity of the backlight module. Also, adding the board-likestructure will increase the weight of the backlight module, which willeventually add more weight to the product using the backlight module.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a film-carryingsystem and a film-carrying device used therein for reducing the overallproduction cost.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a film-carryingsystem and a film-carrying device used therein that have less overallweight.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a film-carryingsystem and a film-carrying device used therein that enhance thebrightness of the backlight module.

The film-carrying system comprises a support base, a film-carryingdevice, and a film. The film-carrying device primary includes a supportconnection part, an elastic part, and a film connection part. Thesupport connection part is connected to the support base, and theelastic part is extending out from the support connection part. Theelastic part includes a fixed end and a free end, wherein the fixed endis connected to the support connection part. The fixed end can notproduce any linear displacement relative to the support base or thesupport connection part, but as the elastic part undergoes deformation,the fixed end is able to produce recoverable angular displacementrelative to the support base or the support connection part. The freeend is able to produce recoverable linear displacement and recoverableangular displacement relative to the support connection part or thefixed end. When the free end is experiencing an external force, the freeend will be able to compress or stretch the elastic part to produceelastic deformation and at the same time produces a linear displacementor an angular displacement relative to the fixed end.

The film connection part is connected to the free end of the elasticpart. The film-carrying device is connected to the film through the filmconnection part. When the film is exerting an external force on the filmconnection part, the film connection part transmits this external forceto the free end, for compressing or stretching the elastic part, andproduces displacement relative to the fixed end of the elastic part. Theexternal force exerted by the film can be decomposed into twocomponents, a linear force and a torque, as experienced by the supportconnection part. The linear force experienced by the support connectionpart will compress or stretch the elastic part, thereby causing theelastic part to produce linear displacement. The torque experienced bythe support connection part will cause the film connection part toproduce angular displacement. By dividing up the force and therebyproducing different types of displacements, the film-carrying device isable to provide the film with a sufficient amount of supporting forcewhile reducing the likelihood of deforming the film. At the same time,the film-carrying device can also absorb and disperse the external forcetransmitted from the film.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic view of a conventional backlight module;

FIG. 2 illustrates schematic view of an embodiment of the film-carryingsystem of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic view of an embodiment of thefilm-carrying device;

FIG. 4 a and FIG. 4 b illustrate schematic views of another embodimentof the film-carrying system and the film-carrying device;

FIG. 5 a illustrates a schematic view of an embodiment when thefilm-carrying device is experiencing a linear force;

FIG. 5 b illustrates a schematic view of an embodiment when thefilm-carrying device is experiencing a torque;

FIG. 6 a and FIG. 6 b illustrate schematic views of another embodimentof the film-carrying system and the film-carrying device;

FIG. 6 c illustrates a schematic view of another embodiment of thefilm-carrying system and the film-carrying device;

FIG. 7 a illustrates a schematic view of another embodiment of thefilm-carrying system and the film-carrying device of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 b illustrates a schematic view of another embodiment of thefilm-carrying system and the film-carrying device of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 8 a and FIG. 8 b illustrate schematic views of another embodimentof the film-carrying system and the film-carrying device of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention provides a film-carrying system and afilm-carrying device used therein. The film used here may include anytype of optical films, such as a diffuser plate, a BrightnessEnhancement Film, a reflector, etc. Furthermore, the film used here mayalso include a sheet-type or plate-type optical element, such as a lightguide panel. In the preferred embodiment, the film-carrying system ofthe present invention is used in a liquid crystal display (LCD) deviceand the backlight module of that LCD device. In different embodimentshowever, the backlight module using the film-carrying system of thepresent invention can be used in a computer keyboard, the buttons of acellular phone, an advertising billboard, or any other device thatrequires a planar light source. The present invention can furtherinclude an LCD device using this film-carrying system. In the preferredembodiment, the LCD device of the present invention includes a color LCDdevice. In a different embodiment however, the LCD device of the presentinvention can also include a monochrome LCD device. In general, the LCDdevice mentioned here may be a display device using the LCD panel, whichcan include a home LCD television, an LCD monitor of a personal computeror a laptop computer, an LCD screen of a cellular phone or a digitalcamera, etc.

As the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the film-carrying system includes asupport base 100, a film-carrying device 300, and a film 500. In thispreferred embodiment, the support base 100 is a frame. In the differentembodiment however, the support base 100 can include a housing or anyother component that can be used to provide supporting force.Furthermore, in this embodiment, the film-carrying device 300 ispreferably disposed at the corner formed by the frame of the supportbase 100. In the different embodiment however, the film-carrying device300 can be disposed on any other section of the frame. The film 500 ispreferably an optical film such as a diffuser plate, a BrightnessEnhancement Film, a reflector, etc. In the different embodiment however,the film 500 may also include a sheet-type or plate-type opticalelement, such as a light guide panel. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2,the film-carrying device 300 is connected to the protruding corner ofthe film 500, which can increase the uniformity of the surface tensionof the film 500. In the different embodiment however, the film-carryingdevice 300 can be connected to the side edge of the film 500.Furthermore, the protruding corner of the film 500 can also include aprotruding ear 530 for connecting with the film-carrying device 300, inorder to reduce the influence on the performance of the film 500.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the film-carrying device 300 includes asupport connection part 310, an elastic part 330, and a film connectionpart 350. In the preferred embodiment, the support connection part 310,the elastic part 330, and the film connection part 350 are integratedlyformed, using method such as injection molding or any other moldingtechnique. As shown in FIG. 2, the support connection part 310 can beconnected rotatably or non-rotatably to the support base 100. In thispreferred embodiment, the support connection part 310 has a connectionshaft 311 extending out downwardly. The connection shaft 311 isrotatably engaged with a corresponding positioning hole 110 on thesupport base 100. In a different embodiment however, on the contrary,the positioning hole 110 is disposed on the support connection part 310while the connection shaft 311 is disposed on the support base 100.Furthermore, the connection shaft 311 can be non-rotatably affixed tothe positioning hole 110, such as designing the connection shaft 311 andthe positioning hole 110 to each have a polygonal cross sectioncorresponding to each other, for restraining the connection shaft 311from rotating inside the positioning hole 110. Furthermore, the bottomend of the connection shaft 311 of the support connection part 310extends out to form a block 313, wherein the block 313 is preferablyperpendicular to the connection shaft 311. When the connection shaft 311enters the positioning hole 110 of the support base 100 through aspecific angular position, the block 313 can prevent the connectionshaft 311 from escaping out of the positioning hole 110 through anotherangular position.

As shown in FIG. 3, the elastic part 330 extends out from the supportconnection part 310. The elastic part 330 has a fixed end 331 and a freeend 333, wherein the fixed end 331 is connected to the supportconnection part 310. The fixed end 331 is unable to produce any lineardisplacement relative to the support base 100 or the support connectionpart 310, but it can still produce recoverable rotational angulardisplacement relative to the support base 100 or the support connectionpart 310 due to the elastic deformation of the elastic part 330. On theother hand, the free end 333 is able to produce recoverable lineardisplacement 410 and recoverable angular displacement 430 relative tothe support connection part 310 or the fixed end 331. When an externalforce is acting on the free end 333, the external force can compress orstretch the elastic part 330 to produce elastic deformation, causing thefree end 333 to produce linear displacement or angular displacementrelative to the fixed end 331. In the preferred embodiment, the elasticpart 330 is made of elastic plastic material or elastic polymericmaterial. In the different embodiment however, the elastic part 330 canbe made of elastic metallic material prepared in an appropriatethickness.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the film connection part 350 is connectedto the free end 333 of the elastic part 330. The film-carrying device300 is connected to the film 500 through the film connection part 350.When the film 500 is exerting an external force on the film connectionpart 350, the film connection part 350 will transmit this external forceto the free end 333 for compressing or stretching the elastic part 330,and the film connection part 350 will at the same time produce linear orrotational displacement relative to the fixed end 331 of the elasticpart 330. In other words, when the elastic part 330 undergoes elasticdeformation, the film connection part 350 will have a degree of freedomin linear displacement relative to the support base 100 and also adegree of freedom in angular displacement relative to the support base100. However, when the support connection part 310 is connected to thesupport base 100 non-rotatably, the film connection part 350 will onlyhave a degree of freedom in angular displacement relative to the supportconnection part 310. Furthermore, in the preferred embodiment, theregion of the film connection part 350 contacting the film 500 has anarc-shaped surface, in order to reduce the influence on the performanceof the film 500 caused by the concentrated contacting force between thefilm connection part 350 and the film 500.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the elastic part 330 includes acircular elastic structure 335. The normal line of the cross section ofthe circular elastic structure 335 is preferably parallel to the normalline of the film 500 or is preferably parallel to the direction that thesupport connection part 310 extending toward. The fixed end 331 is atone end of the circular elastic structure 335. The structure of thecircular elastic structure 335 provides itself the tolerance forphysical stretching and compression. When the circular elastic structure335 is experiencing an external force perpendicular to its normal line,its ring-shaped structure will change the direction of this externalforce and at the same time disperse this external force. As a result,the elastic part 330 will undergo compression deformation or stretchingdeformation.

As shown in FIG. 3, the elastic part 330 also includes a connection rod337. One end of the connection rod 337 is connected to the circularelastic structure 335, and it can produce recoverable bending motionrelative to the circular elastic structure 335. The other end of theconnection rod 337 is connected to the film connection part 350. Inother words, in this embodiment, the free end 333 of the elastic part330 becomes the end of the connection rod 337 that is connected to thefilm connection part 350. In the different embodiment however, as shownin FIG. 4 a and FIG. 4 b, the elastic part 330 does not include aconnection rod 337. At this time, the free end 333 of the elastic part330 is disposed on another end of the circular elastic structure 335,which is opposite to the position of the fixed end 331 of the elasticpart 330 disposed on the circular elastic structure 335. In other words,two corresponding ends of the circular elastic structure 335 opposite toeach other are connected to the support connection part 310 and the filmconnection part 350 respectively.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, the film connection part 350 has apositioning pillar 351 extending in the direction perpendicular to theconnection rod 337, and the film 500 has a positioning hole 510corresponding to the positioning pillar 351. The positioning hole 510engages with the positioning pillar 351, establishing a connectionbetween the film 500 and the film connection part 350. The region wherethe rim of the positioning pillar 351 contacting the positioning hole510 preferably has an arc-shaped surface, in order to uniformly dispersethe interaction force produced by the positioning pillar 351 and thepositioning hole 510 across their contacting region. As shown in FIG. 3,the positioning pillar 351 preferably further include a blockageprotrusion 353. The blockage protrusion 353 extends outward from one endof the positioning pillar 351 toward the elastic part 330. In thedifferent embodiment however, the blockage protrusion 353 can extend ina direction perpendicular to the connection rod 337. When thepositioning pillar 351 engages with the positioning hole 510, theblockage protrusion 353 can prevent the positioning pillar 351 fromescaping the positioning hole 510 through any undesired direction whilecausing the film 500 to be separated from the film-carrying device 300unexpectedly.

When the film 500 is exerting an external force on the film connectionpart 350, the elastic part 330 will undergoes elastic deformationcorresponding to the direction of the external force, causing the filmconnection part 350 to produce displacement relative to the support base100. The external force exerted by the film 500 can be decomposed intotwo components, a linear force and a torque, as experienced by thesupport connection part 310. As shown in FIG. 5 a, the linear forceexperienced by the support connection part 310 will compress or stretchthe elastic part 330, thereby causing the elastic part 330 to producelinear displacement 410. As shown in FIG. 5 b, the torque experienced bythe support connection part 310 will cause the film connection part 350to produce angular displacement 430. In this embodiment, this angulardisplacement 430 can be obtained by bending the elastic part 330. In thedifferent embodiment however, this angular displacement 430 can beobtained by rotating the support connection part 310 itself relative tothe support base 100. In the preferred embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5 a,the elastic part 330 is preferably disposed in parallel with thediagonal of the film 500, thereby causing the force experienced by theelastic part 330 to be uniformly distributed; in the differentembodiment however, the elastic part 330 can be disposed in a differentdirection, as according to other different mechanical design. Bydividing up the force and thereby producing different types ofdisplacements, as shown in FIG. 5 a and FIG. 5 b, the film-carryingdevice 300 is able to provide the film 500 with a sufficient amount ofsupporting force while reducing the likelihood of deforming the film500. At the same time, the film-carrying device 300 can also absorb anddisperse the external force transmitted from the film 500.

FIG. 6 a and FIG. 6 b show another embodiment of the film-carryingsystem of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 6 a, the elastic part330 of the film-carrying device 300 includes a first curving section 710and a second curving section 720. The two ends of the first curvingsection 710 are connected to the support connection part 310 and thefilm connection part 350 respectively; the two ends of the secondcurving section 720 are connected to the support connection part 310 andthe film connection part 350 respectively. In other words, the firstcurving section 710, the second curving section 720, the supportconnection part 310, and the film connection part 350 together form aclosed loop structure. As shown in FIG. 6 b, the support base 100includes a protrusion 150 disposed on it. The film-carrying device 300can engages with the protrusion 150, causing the support connection part310 to contact with the protrusion 150 for affixing the film-carryingdevice 300 to the support base 100.

As shown in FIG. 6 a, the angle of the first curving section 710 and theangle of the second curving section 720 can each be an acute angle; inthe different embodiment however, the angle of the first curving section710 and the angle of the second curving section 720 can each be anobtuse angle. Furthermore, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 c, thesecond curving section 720 is not included as a part of the elastic part330, and the first curving section 710 is connected to the supportconnection part 310 and the film connection part 350 alone by itself.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 a, the elastic part 330 of thefilm-carrying device 300 includes a first bending section 810 and asecond bending section 820. One end of the first bending section 810extends out from the support connection part 310, and the other end ofthe first bending section 810 is connected to the second bending section820. The other end of the second bending section 820 is connected to thefilm connection part 350. The bending direction of the first bendingsection 810 is opposite to the bending direction of the second bendingsection 820. By increasing and decreasing the angle of the first bendingsection 810 and the angle of the second bending section 820, the elasticpart 330 is able to produce a recoverable linear displacement. As shownin FIG. 7 a, the support connection part 310 includes a hole 315,wherein the hole 315 can be screwed to the support base 100 or engagedwith the support base 100 directly. The film 500 includes a positioninghole 850, and the film connection part 350 includes a positioning pillar351. The positioning pillar 351 can be separably engaged with thepositioning hole 850, for connecting the film 500 to the film connectionpart 350. As shown in FIG. 7 a, the positioning pillar 351 preferablyhas an arc-shaped side wall, for allowing the film 500 to rotaterelative to the positioning pillar 351 freely. Furthermore, thepositioning pillar 351 preferably includes a protruding rim 900extending out from the top of the positioning pillar 351, wherein theprotruding rim 900 can prevent the positioning hole 850 of the film 500from escaping through the positioning pillar 351.

FIG. 7 b is showing another embodiment of the present invention. In thisembodiment, the elastic part 330 includes an arching segment 870. Twoends of the arching segment 870 are connected to the support connectionpart 310 and the film connection part 350 respectively. Through thecompression deformation of the arching segment 870, for enabling achange in the distance between the two ends of the arching segment 870,the elastic part 330 is able to produce a recoverable lineardisplacement. As shown in FIG. 7 b, the support connection part 310includes a hole 315, wherein the hole 315 can be screwed to the supportbase 100 or engaged with the support base 100 directly. The filmconnection part 350 includes a positioning pillar 351, wherein thepositioning pillar 351 can be separably engaged with the positioninghole 850 of the film 500.

As the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 a and FIG. 8 b, the elastic part 330includes a first arm 910, a second arm 920, and a third arm 930. In thispreferred embodiment, the first arm 910 is in parallel with the secondarm 920 and is perpendicular to the third arm 930, wherein the first arm910, the second arm 920, and the third arm 930 form a T-shape structure.In the different embodiment however, the angle between the first arm 910and the second arm 920 can be further adjusted to a different value. Thefirst arm 910 includes an arm fixed end 911 and an arm free end 913. Thearm fixed end 911 is connected to the support connection part 310, andthe arm free end 913 has a degree of freedom in angular displacementrelative to the arm fixed end 911. In other words, the arm free end 913can rotate relative to the arm fixed end 911. Furthermore, in order toreduce the resistance force produced while the arm free end 913 isrotating relative to the arm fixed end 911, the width of the part wherethe arm fixed end 911 is connected to the support connection part 310 isslightly less than the width of the first arm 910. The second arm 920has an arm fixed end 921 and an arm free end 923. The arm fixed end 921is connected to another support connection part 310, and the arm freeend 923 is connected to the arm free end 913 of the first arm 910. Inthe preferred embodiment, the first arm 910 and the second arm 920 aresymmetrically disposed, and the width of the part where the arm free end913 of the first arm 910 connects to the arm free end 923 of the secondarm 920 is slightly less than the width of the first arm 910 or thewidth of the second arm 920.

As shown in FIG. 8 a and FIG. 8 b, the third arm 930 has an arm fixedend 931 and an arm free end 933. The arm free end 933 is connected tothe film connection part 350, and the arm fixed end 931 is connected tothe arm free end 913 of the first arm 910 and the arm free end 923 ofthe second arm 920. The arm free end 933 has a degree of freedom inangular displacement relative to the arm fixed end 931. In other words,the arm free end 933 can rotate relative to the arm fixed end 931. Inthis embodiment, the linear displacement 410 of the film connection part350 in the direction along the third arm 930 can be transformed into therotational motion of the arm free end 913 of the first arm 910 and thearm free end 923 of the second arm 920, whereas the angular displacement430 of the film connection part 350 can be transformed into the angulardisplacement of the arm free end 933 of the third arm 930.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed herein, the above description is merely illustrative. Furthermodification of the invention herein disclosed will occur to thoseskilled in the respective arts and all such modifications are deemed tobe within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A film-carrying device, for connecting at leastone film to a support base, comprising: at least one support connectionpart; an elastic part extending out from the support connection part andhaving a fixed end and a free end, the fixed end is connected to thesupport connection base, wherein the free end produces a displacementrelative to the fixed end when the elastic part undergoes elasticdeformation; and a film connection part connecting to the free end ofthe elastic part; wherein when the elastic part undergoes elasticdeformation, the film connection part has a degree of freedom in lineardisplacement relative to the support connection part and also a degreeof freedom in angular displacement relative to the support connectionpart.
 2. The film-carrying device according to claim 1, wherein thesupport connection part includes a connection shaft.
 3. Thefilm-carrying device according to claim 1, wherein the supportconnection part includes a positioning hole.
 4. The film-carrying deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the elastic part includes a circularelastic structure.
 5. The film-carrying device according to claim 4,wherein the normal line of the cross section of the circular elasticstructure is parallel to a direction that the support connection partextending toward.
 6. The film-carrying device according to claim 4,wherein the elastic part further includes a connection rod, and the twoends of the connection rod are connected to the circular elasticstructure and the film connection part respectively.
 7. Thefilm-carrying device according to claim 6, wherein the connection rod isa bendable and shape-recoverable rod connecting to the circular elasticstructure.
 8. The film-carrying device according to claim 1, wherein theelastic part includes a first curving section, and the two ends of thefirst curving section are connected to the support connection part andthe film connection part respectively.
 9. The film-carrying deviceaccording to claim 8, wherein the elastic part further includes a secondcurving section, the two ends of the second curving section areconnected to the support connection part and the film connection partrespectively, and the second curving section, the support connectionpart, the film connection part, and the first curving section togetherform a closed loop structure.
 10. The film-carrying device according toclaim 1, wherein the elastic part includes a first bending section and asecond bending section, the first bending section is connected to thesecond bending section, and the bending direction of the first bendingsection is opposite to the bending direction of the second bendingsection.
 11. The film-carrying device according to claim 1, wherein thefilm connection part includes a positioning pillar.
 12. Thefilm-carrying device according to claim 11, wherein the positioningpillar includes a blockage protrusion, the blockage protrusion extendsoutward from one end of the positioning pillar toward the elastic part.13. The film-carrying device according to claim 11, wherein thepositioning pillar has an arc-shaped surface.
 14. The film-carryingdevice according to claim 1, wherein the elastic part includes anarching segment, the two ends of the arching segment are connected tothe support connection part and the film connection part respectively.15. The film-carrying device according to claim 1, wherein the elasticpart comprising: a first arm having an arm fixed end and an arm freeend, the arm fixed end is connected to one of the support connectionpart, wherein the arm free end has a degree of freedom in angulardisplacement relative to the arm fixed end; a second arm having an armfixed end and an arm free end, the arm fixed end is connected to anothersupport connection part, the arm free end is connected to the arm freeend of the first arm, wherein the arm free end of the second arm has adegree of freedom in angular displacement relative to the arm fixed endof the second arm; a third arm having an arm fixed end and an arm freeend, the arm free end is connected to the film connection part, the armfixed end is connected to the arm free ends of both the first arm andthe second arm, wherein the arm free end of the third arm has a degreeof freedom in angular displacement relative to the arm fixed end of thethird arm.